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Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Mid-March potpourri

March continues to be very busy at work so gardening has taken a bit of a backseat. Hopefully things will calm down soon and I will have mustered enough energy to tackle our tax return—yet another unpleasant task I keep postponing.

This post is a potpourri of photos I’ve taken in the last week: some in the rain, some during breaks between storms. For now the rain seems to be over. We need more, of course, but our succulents are just as happy to have a sunny spell.

×Mangave ‘Macho Mocha’ and Arctotis ‘Wine’. Planted 11 months ago from a 4-inch pot, this arctotis has quadrupled in size. It’s been in bloom almost the entire time, no doubt because of my wife’s diligent deadheading.

Arctotis ‘Pink Sugar’, added just last month

The last two lemons left on this juvenile Meyer lemon tree in the front yard. If you look closely, you can see a bunch of new flower buds. They should open within the next few weeks.

NOID Aeonium on the front yard fence

Agave bovicornuta…

…and its smaller cousin, Agave cupreata

Western redbud (Cercis occidentalis) across the street

This jade plant (Crassula ovata) next to the driveway has been in bloom since December

Lilac in the backyard. This is a low-chill variety, ‘Blue Skies’, developed specially for mild-winter climates.

15 comments:

Enjoy seeing all you have in bloom! I have violet blooming in the lawn and the cedars are doing their thing! Also some bulbs are starting to cautiously poke their leaves up. Supposed to have snow soonly, but the weather doesn't cooperate with the forecasters!

I can't believe you got that geum to bloom! I've been checking mine for buds daily, and none so far. I've read it takes a while to establish to bloom well, and I have moved mine around a bit. Any idea how long ago yours were planted?

Denise, I bought that Geum 'Totally Tangerine' at the 2012 Annie's Annuals Spring Party: http://www.succulentsandmore.com/2012/04/annies-annuals-2012-spring-party.html. So four years in the ground. It has flowered reliably since year 2 but this year it's bigger than ever.

However, this is the only geum in my garden that has done well. All the others have disappeared.